Joy Summerton - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Joy Summerton

Research paper thumbnail of Perceptions among a group of at-risk individuals: the discrepancy between unsafe sex practices and knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission

Research paper thumbnail of Birth companion of choice: a survey amongst women who have given birth at a rural hospital in Limpopo, South Africa

International Journal of Pregnancy & Child Birth, 2020

Background: Advancements in medical interventions have contributed to the prevention of innumerab... more Background: Advancements in medical interventions have contributed to the prevention of innumerable deaths of women and newborns globally, leading to the medicalization of childbirth, which may have inadvertently contributed to a dehumanization of the birthing experience by denying women the social and emotional support that they enjoyed when giving birth in the home environment. The WHO places equal importance on the quality of clinical care and the quality of experience of care. Emotional support, provided by a birth companion of choice, is critical for enhancing the experience of care during labour and birth. This study explores advocacy for women to have a birth companion, as well as perceptions of women about having a birth companion during labour and birth in a rural sub-district of Limpopo Province in South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a continuous electronic RMC client satisfaction survey, on an on-line platform, which was completed by 506 women in a pos...

Research paper thumbnail of The role of practitioners of traditional medicine in the treatment, care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS

Summerton (mommy) for her patience, understanding and genuine encouragement throughout the durati... more Summerton (mommy) for her patience, understanding and genuine encouragement throughout the duration of this research. Thank you for allowing me to achieve my goals even if it meant not being there when you needed me most.  My gratitude also goes to Ruby, Lizo, Nombeko, "Sista", Niana and Latoya for not disowning me as a sister, sister-in-law, "daughter" and aunt when I neglected you completely throughout this endeavour.  A heartfelt thanks goes to all the staff of the Centre for Health Systems Research & Development, whose support, excellent advice and friendly encouragement carried me through.  To Hlengiwe Hlope for lending a shoulder to cry on and emotional support when the weight became difficult to bear.  To Kobus Meyer for being a dear friend and confidante, and for the excellent technical editing of this thesis and giving the layout a professional appearance.  My most sincere gratitude goes to all the traditional and western health practitioners who participated in the study as respondents, for giving their consent to participate in the study and for their willingness to share their invaluable knowledge and experience for the purpose of this research. May you be richly blessed! "Nangomso"  I also wish to thank all the individuals from the Eastern Cape and Free State provincial and local government who have directly or indirectly shaped the outcome of this research.  To the Andrew Mellon Foundation for making this research possible through their devoted financial and technical support throughout the duration of this study.  Finally, I thank God, who once again made me realise that with Him, nothing is impossible.

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences and perceptions of birth companions supporting women in labour at a District Hospital in Limpopo, South Africa

Curationis, 2021

Background: South Africa has included birth companions in its national guidelines for maternity c... more Background: South Africa has included birth companions in its national guidelines for maternity care and the revised Maternity Case Record, in and effort to improve the quality and experience of care. However, reservations amongst healthcare providers remain about the acceptability of birth companions in the labour ward.Objectives: To document the experiences and perceptions of birth companions who supported women in labour in a rural hospital in Limpopo Province where a Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) project was piloted.Method: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed. Purposive sampling was employed where all birth companions who supported a woman during labour and birth were included in the study. The experiences and perceptions of birth companions were captured using a birth companion feedback book during the period of 1st April to 30th August 2019. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.Results: Seventy-one (71) of the 73 birth companions only had...

Research paper thumbnail of PHC delivery in the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Site, Eastern Cape Mapping gaps in the maternal health, IMCI, TB, STIs, HIV/AIDS and EDL programmes

Research paper thumbnail of The incorporation of African traditional health practitioners into the South African health care system

The need to progress from parallel or merely tolerant health care systems towards integrated syst... more The need to progress from parallel or merely tolerant health care systems towards integrated systems in countries with both traditional and western health care systems has been acknowledged globally. Underlying this acknowledgement is the need to respond to the expressed health care needs of communities. This article offers a critical reflection on national and international policies as they relate to African traditional medicine and healing in the context of the South African health care system. Key policy documents and laws pertaining to traditional healing are addressed so as to elucidate the current legal and social status of African traditional medicine and health practitioners in South Africa. The Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2004 is a breakthrough in attempts to legitimise and professionalise traditional practitioners, but this article also identifies aspects of the Act that may evoke conflict.

Research paper thumbnail of The Organisation and Infrastructure of the African Traditional Healing System: Reflections from a SubDistrict of South Africa1

Research paper thumbnail of Poverty, Risky Sexual Behaviour, and Vulnerability to HIV Infection: Evidence from South Africa

This paper explores the relationship among poverty, risky sexual behaviour, and vulnerability to ... more This paper explores the relationship among poverty, risky sexual behaviour, and vulnerability to HIV infection, using data from the 1998 South African Demographic and Health Survey. Asset index was employed as proxy of socioeconomic status. Inequalities in health were measured using concentration index. Women in poorer households were slightly less knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, while the socioeconomic inequalities in risky sexual behaviour were negligible. These small health gradients may reflect the limitations of population-based surveys in collection of information on sexual behaviour. The results may also mean that women in general are equally at risk of HIV infection, which means that more work is required to establish how factors other than knowledge on HIV/ AIDS and socioeconomic status stand to enhance the vulnerability of women to HIV/AIDS.

Research paper thumbnail of Perceptions among a group of at-risk individuals: the discrepancy between unsafe sex practices and knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission

Research paper thumbnail of Birth companion of choice: a survey amongst women who have given birth at a rural hospital in Limpopo, South Africa

International Journal of Pregnancy & Child Birth, 2020

Background: Advancements in medical interventions have contributed to the prevention of innumerab... more Background: Advancements in medical interventions have contributed to the prevention of innumerable deaths of women and newborns globally, leading to the medicalization of childbirth, which may have inadvertently contributed to a dehumanization of the birthing experience by denying women the social and emotional support that they enjoyed when giving birth in the home environment. The WHO places equal importance on the quality of clinical care and the quality of experience of care. Emotional support, provided by a birth companion of choice, is critical for enhancing the experience of care during labour and birth. This study explores advocacy for women to have a birth companion, as well as perceptions of women about having a birth companion during labour and birth in a rural sub-district of Limpopo Province in South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a continuous electronic RMC client satisfaction survey, on an on-line platform, which was completed by 506 women in a pos...

Research paper thumbnail of The role of practitioners of traditional medicine in the treatment, care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS

Summerton (mommy) for her patience, understanding and genuine encouragement throughout the durati... more Summerton (mommy) for her patience, understanding and genuine encouragement throughout the duration of this research. Thank you for allowing me to achieve my goals even if it meant not being there when you needed me most.  My gratitude also goes to Ruby, Lizo, Nombeko, "Sista", Niana and Latoya for not disowning me as a sister, sister-in-law, "daughter" and aunt when I neglected you completely throughout this endeavour.  A heartfelt thanks goes to all the staff of the Centre for Health Systems Research & Development, whose support, excellent advice and friendly encouragement carried me through.  To Hlengiwe Hlope for lending a shoulder to cry on and emotional support when the weight became difficult to bear.  To Kobus Meyer for being a dear friend and confidante, and for the excellent technical editing of this thesis and giving the layout a professional appearance.  My most sincere gratitude goes to all the traditional and western health practitioners who participated in the study as respondents, for giving their consent to participate in the study and for their willingness to share their invaluable knowledge and experience for the purpose of this research. May you be richly blessed! "Nangomso"  I also wish to thank all the individuals from the Eastern Cape and Free State provincial and local government who have directly or indirectly shaped the outcome of this research.  To the Andrew Mellon Foundation for making this research possible through their devoted financial and technical support throughout the duration of this study.  Finally, I thank God, who once again made me realise that with Him, nothing is impossible.

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences and perceptions of birth companions supporting women in labour at a District Hospital in Limpopo, South Africa

Curationis, 2021

Background: South Africa has included birth companions in its national guidelines for maternity c... more Background: South Africa has included birth companions in its national guidelines for maternity care and the revised Maternity Case Record, in and effort to improve the quality and experience of care. However, reservations amongst healthcare providers remain about the acceptability of birth companions in the labour ward.Objectives: To document the experiences and perceptions of birth companions who supported women in labour in a rural hospital in Limpopo Province where a Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) project was piloted.Method: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed. Purposive sampling was employed where all birth companions who supported a woman during labour and birth were included in the study. The experiences and perceptions of birth companions were captured using a birth companion feedback book during the period of 1st April to 30th August 2019. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.Results: Seventy-one (71) of the 73 birth companions only had...

Research paper thumbnail of PHC delivery in the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Site, Eastern Cape Mapping gaps in the maternal health, IMCI, TB, STIs, HIV/AIDS and EDL programmes

Research paper thumbnail of The incorporation of African traditional health practitioners into the South African health care system

The need to progress from parallel or merely tolerant health care systems towards integrated syst... more The need to progress from parallel or merely tolerant health care systems towards integrated systems in countries with both traditional and western health care systems has been acknowledged globally. Underlying this acknowledgement is the need to respond to the expressed health care needs of communities. This article offers a critical reflection on national and international policies as they relate to African traditional medicine and healing in the context of the South African health care system. Key policy documents and laws pertaining to traditional healing are addressed so as to elucidate the current legal and social status of African traditional medicine and health practitioners in South Africa. The Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2004 is a breakthrough in attempts to legitimise and professionalise traditional practitioners, but this article also identifies aspects of the Act that may evoke conflict.

Research paper thumbnail of The Organisation and Infrastructure of the African Traditional Healing System: Reflections from a SubDistrict of South Africa1

Research paper thumbnail of Poverty, Risky Sexual Behaviour, and Vulnerability to HIV Infection: Evidence from South Africa

This paper explores the relationship among poverty, risky sexual behaviour, and vulnerability to ... more This paper explores the relationship among poverty, risky sexual behaviour, and vulnerability to HIV infection, using data from the 1998 South African Demographic and Health Survey. Asset index was employed as proxy of socioeconomic status. Inequalities in health were measured using concentration index. Women in poorer households were slightly less knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, while the socioeconomic inequalities in risky sexual behaviour were negligible. These small health gradients may reflect the limitations of population-based surveys in collection of information on sexual behaviour. The results may also mean that women in general are equally at risk of HIV infection, which means that more work is required to establish how factors other than knowledge on HIV/ AIDS and socioeconomic status stand to enhance the vulnerability of women to HIV/AIDS.